Folding tray



Aug. 7, 1951 E. L. WINKLER FOLDING TRAY Filed Dec. 29, 1948 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 7, 1951 E. L. WINKLER FOLDING TRAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec. 29, 1948 FIGS.

8 7 1951 E. L. wlNKLER 2,563,145

FOLDING TRAY v Filed Dec. V29. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 7,1951 UNITED S'lll'lESv PATENT OFFICE FOLDING fraai? Eimer L. Winkler,couinsv'iuam., assigner to' Mott Carton and Paper Company, St. Louis,Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 29, 1948, Serial No.67,895

I Cl. 229-34) Claims.

This invention relates to folding trays, boxes and the like, and withregard tol certain more specific features, to folding articles of thisclass, generally made of cardboard or a similar material.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofan economical folding tray or box which may be made from a single simpleblank of minimum size requiring no paste in its make-up; the provisionof an article of the class described which may be semi-folded andshipped at prior to use; and the provision of an article of this classwhich may be rapidly and conveniently folded into nal shape foraccep-tance of goods to be contained. Other objects will be in partapparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possibleembodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a prefolded blank for flat shipment;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing an intermediate step of a finalfolding operation;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the flnal product of the first form ofthe invention;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation 'of the nal product;

Figs. 6 and "I are fragmentary views corresponding respectively to Figs.1 and 2, but showing an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the alternativeembodiment, except that certain side panels are shown somewhat spreadapart in order to expose certain tongues;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4, showing the alternativeembodiment; and,

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of said alternative embodiment.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Many articles of merchandise such as bakery l goods, fruits, vegetables,etc., are packaged by placing one or more of them in an opencardboard orsimilar tray and then wrapping the tray with a sheet of transparent oropaque material such as cellophane or paper. The wrapping is done eithermanually or automatically. Trays for the purpose should preferably cometo the wrapper in a knocked-down, ilat, or semi-folded condition and beof such a character that only a simple operation is required to convertfrom a prefolded to a set-up condition. Moreover, the device should beas simple and economical as possible. The present invention provides aprefolded blank for such a tray or box. While the invention is shown asapplied to an open type of tray or box which is subsequently to bewrapped, it is to be understood that it is applicable to similararticles having covers.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1-4, Fig. 1 shows a ilat blankof suitable, substantially stii sheet material such as cardboard, of aweight suitable for the size of tray to be made. This is rectangularlyscored, as shown at numerals I, 3 and 5, to outline a bottom l. Adjacentthe score line 5 are spaced strike-outs forming spaced slits 9 coaxialwith the score line. As will appear, these slits are optional.

The score lines I and 3 determine bendable opposite side panels II andI3, respectively. The ends of the panels II and I3 are determined byscore lines I5 and I1, respectively. It will be noted that the scorelines I, 5 and I5 have an origin at a point I9 which forms one corner ofthe nished tray. The score lines 3, 5 and Il have an origin at a pointZI which forms another corner of the finished tray. The score lines I5and I'I in the nat blank (Fig. 1) are angled slightly with respect tothe score line 5. Preferably, the arrangement is such that the anglesbetween score lines I and I5 on the one hand and between score lines 3and I1 on the other hand are slightly less than although it is to beunderstood that these angles may be slightly more than 90. The deviationfrom 90 is only slight, as pointed out. The purpose of this will appear.

Hinged to the panels II and I3 by means of the score lines I5 and Il,respectively, are ilaps 23 and 25, respectively, of essentiallyright-trlangular shapes as shown. One leg of each triangle is one of thescore lines I5 or Il; the other leg is a continuation of the outer edgeof the adjacent panel II or I3; and the third leg is substantially ahypotenuse having a central extension tongue. The hypotenuse of ap 23 islettered 2l; that of flap 25 is lettered 29. The tongue of flap 23 islettered 3| and the tongue of ilap 25 is lettered 33.

3 The score line 5 determines a crosswise end panel 35, of width equalto the widths of the panels II and I3, as determined by a score line31.,V The length of 35 equals the width of 1. Be-

4 the end panel 35 is vertical, is to turn the flap 39 over and into thenished tray, bending it back against the end panel 35. This brings thelips 4I into position at the slits 9 with which they form a positivecatch. If the slits 9 are eliminated. these lips 4I form a usuallysuilicient frictional engagement with the bottom 1. Even in the absenceof the lips, the edge of the flap 39 may be made to perform a frictionallocking function by making this panel 39 wide enough. After the lockingflap has been folded down, it prevents the side panels Il and I3 fromangling out again because the triangular naps 23 and 25 are locked underit. The upper edges of the aps 23 and 25 and 5I, respectively. Theseedges are so located that when the side panels II and I3, with theirtongues 23 and 25, are folded in as shown in Fig. 2, the lines 21 and 49on the one hand, and 29 and 5I on the other hand, will be substantiallycoincident forming a common hinge line, as will appear. At the sametime, the tongues 3l and 33 will become positioned over the openings 45and 41, respectively. The outer edges 53 and 54 of the openings 45 and41, respectively, are distances away from the inner edges 49 and 5I,such that the tongues 3I and 33 may turn through the openings 45 and 41,when during assembly the flaps 23 and 25 hinge on the coincident lines21, 49 and 29, 5I, respectively. This appears to best advantage in Fig.3. It should be noted in this connection that the outer end points 55and 51 of the naps lie on the score line 31 when the side panels I I andI3 are folded in, as shown in Fig. 2. These points retain theirpositions on this score line throughout the subsequent operations offorming the inal tray of Fig. 4 from the partially formed trayillustrated in Fig. 3.

The manufacture of the blank, as shown in Fig. 1, is quite simple,requiring only simple stamping and scoring operations. The device isdelivered to the user in a condition shown in Fig. 2, which involvesonly the folding inward of the side panels II and I3. The fiat foldeddevices as shown in Fig. 2 are delivered in stacks for use by handwrappers or automatic wrappers.

To form a tray from the prepared article shown in Fig. 2, it isnecessary only to turn up the end panel 35. At the same time, the flap39 is angledl up (see arrow A in Fig. 3). This causes a pushing actionbetween the score line 31 and points 55, 51 at lie dihedral anglebetween panel 35 and flap 39. The dihedral angle serves to hold thepoints in position. Immediately, the flaps 23 and 25 buckle with respectto the panels II and I3, the buckling occurring on score lines I5 andI1. Since these score lines I5 and I1 are at an angle with respect tothe score line 5, the buckling necessarily and positively takes place insuch a direction that the side panels II and I3 rise. They never tend tobuckle down toward the bottom 1. Hence the side panels II and I3 areangled up, as lshown by arrows B, from the horizontal position of Fig. 2to the nal vertical position shown in Fig. 4. At the same time, thehinging action along lines 21, 49 and 29, 5I turns the tongues 3l and 33into the openings 45 and 41. Finally, when the end panel 35 becomesvertical, the tongues 3I and 33 become hooked in behind the panel 35,the 'openings 45 and 41 being respectively blocked oft by portions ofthe flaps 23 and 25, as shown in Fig. 5. This results in the side panelsII and I3 assuming a final vertical position such as shown in Fig. 4.

The nal part of the bending operation, when are then coincident with thescore line 43, the flaps 23 and 25 being sandwiched between end panel 35and turned-down locking nap 39.

The iinished tray of Figs. 4 and 5 has only one end, as is the customfor certain classes of trays, as for example those used to packagebakery goods where a stiffening support for the goods is the primaryconsideration preliminary to wrapping. For goods such as fruits orvegetables, the tray may be provided with four sides, by providing atthe open end a construction similar to that already described at theclosed end. Further description in this connection is unnecessary, sinceit would involve a mere duplication of the description above given.

In Figs. 6-10 is shown another embodiment of the invention in which likenumerals designate like parts to those already described, except thatthe numerals have been primed. In this form of the invention, the scoreline 5' does not have the slits 9. However, corresponding slits 9' maybe carried in the score lines I5'. In this form of the invention thelocking ap 39' is narrower than the corresponding locking iiap 39 in thepreferred form but its length equals the width of the bottom 1'. Thelips 4I', instead of being carried upon the lengthwise edge of thelocking flap 39', are carried on its ends, as shown. Consequently, whenin this form of the invention the iiap 39' is turned down in between theside flaps II' and I3', the lips 4I engage with the slits 9' which areat the proper location to permit this. As the slits 9 in the preferredform of the invention may be dispensed with, so may the slits 9' in thealternative embodiment be dispensed with, in which event the lips 4I'hold by lateral frictional engagement with the raised side panels I Iand I3'. Since the essential differences between the two embodiments ofthe invention have been described in detail, further description of thealternative embodiment will be unnecessary in view of the obviouslyanalogous functions of the similarly numbered parts. It should, however,be remarked in connection with Fig. 8 (the approximate analog of Fig.3), that the parts have been allowed to spring out somewhat from theposition in which automatic raising of the side panels II' and I3' wouldoccur upon lifting of the end panel 35 and the locking flap 39. This isto expose the tongues 3l and 33'. For the actual folding action, thepoints 55' and 51 will lie adjacent to the score line 31'; as in Fig. 3the points 55 and 51 lie adjacent to the score line 31. Minor variationsin the shapes of the various panels, tongues and lips are obvious fromFigs. 6-10 and illustrate exemplary equivalents. If further descriptionis desired, the description of the preferred embodiment may be appliedto the alternative embodiment by substituting for the numerals thereinthe corresponding primed numerals shown in Figs. 6-10.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. A sheet for forming a tray comprising a substantially stii materialwhich is cut and scored to provide a bottom with two opposite sidepanels integral therewith and hinged thereto on opposite score linesadapted preliminarily to be in-folded over said bottom and an end panelcrosswise of said opposite panels and also integral with the bottom andhinged thereto along` a score line having junctures with said oppositeIscore lines the length of which end panel is substantially equal to thewidth of the bottom, said end panel having openings adjacent its endswhich openings have angled inner edges, end aps on the opposite pane1sof substantially right-triangular shapes respectively score-hinged withsaid side panels, each end flap having its hypotenuse extending from oneof said junctures and arranged to lie substantially coincident along andover the angled inner edge of one of said openings when the side panelsare preliminarily infolded, extension tongues extending from the angledsides of said flaps adapted to extend over but not across said openingswhen the side panels are prelimlnarily in-folded, said openings beingwider than the extension tongues, a locking flap hinged to said endpanel on a score line passing adjacent to the outer corners of saidtriangular equals the width of the end panel, including at least oneextension of an edge of the locking flap.

4. An article made according to claim 1 wherein the width of the lockingflap substantially equals the width of the end panel, the scoringbetween the bottomand the end panel including at least one slit, and atleast one extension on the long edge of the locking ap located opposite`said slit.

5. An article made according to claim 1 where-- in the scoring betweenat least one of said opposite panels and an end flap includes a slit,and at least one extension on an adjacent end of the locking flap.

ELMIER, L. WINKLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 610,950 Smith Sept. 20, 18982,005,131 DeLuce June 18, 1935 2,218,360 Rokol l Oct. 15, 1940 2,274,714Levkoif Mar. 3, 1942

